Service

DA or CDC Pathway and Pre-lodgement Advice

Which approval route is fastest and safest for your site, with a written planning advice you can give to your designer and builder.

Complying development (CDC) through a private certifier can be approved in weeks; a development application with council can take months. But CDC only works when the site and design meet every standard in the relevant code, and a failed CDC attempt costs time and design fees.

URBA provides short written planning advices that set out the pathway options for your site, the standards that decide eligibility, the documents required and the likely timeframe. For DAs we prepare for and attend pre-lodgement meetings with council.

Who this is for

  • Owners and builders deciding between CDC and DA
  • Designers wanting the controls confirmed before concept
  • Buyers who need a fast written answer

What the report or service includes

  • Zoning, permissibility and exclusions from complying development
  • Housing Code, Low Rise Housing Diversity Code or Greenfield Housing Code eligibility
  • Key DA controls where CDC is not available
  • Required reports and certificates for each pathway
  • Pre-lodgement meeting request, briefing note and attendance

How it works

Step

Brief

Address and what you want to build.

Step

Assessment

Mapping, exclusions, code standards, LEP and DCP.

Step

Written advice

Usually within two to three business days.

Step

Next step

CDC documentation support or DA preparation.

Frequently asked questions

Why was my CDC application refused?

Complying development has no merit assessment. If a single standard is not met, such as a setback, a floor area or an excluded land mapping, the certifier cannot issue the certificate. A DA is then the route.

Is a pre-lodgement meeting worth it?

For dual occupancies, townhouses and anything with a variation, usually yes. Council feedback before lodgement is far cheaper than a request for information or a refusal after it.

Where we provide this service

Across Sydney, Western Sydney, the Central Coast, the Hunter, the Illawarra and regional NSW. See the areas we service for council-specific notes, including Blacktown, Penrith, The Hills, Liverpool, Camden and the Central Coast.

Reading

Guides related to da or cdc pathway advice

Next step

Get a fixed fee for da or cdc pathway advice

Send the address and your plans or concept. A URBA planner will confirm the pathway and send a fixed-fee proposal, usually within one business day.